Shloka 67

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

मन्त्रैर्हेमस्तथा कार्यः षड्भिर्नृप विधानतः / बहून्विप्रान् भोजयेथास्तद्रत्नाप्तधनेन वै / एवं कृते महीपाल मम मुक्तिर्भविष्यति

Transliteration

mantrairhemastathā kāryaḥ ṣaḍbhirnṛpa vidhānataḥ / bahūnviprān bhojayethāstadratnāptadhanena vai / evaṃ kṛte mahīpāla mama muktirbhaviṣyati

Translation

أيها الملك، وفقًا للأحكام المقرّرة، ينبغي أن يُهيَّأ الذهب طقسيًّا بستة مَنترات. وبالثروة المتحصّلة من ذلك الذهب والجواهر، أطعِمْ عددًا كبيرًا من البراهمة. فإذا فُعِلَ هذا، يا حاكم الأرض، تحقّقت لي الموكشا (التحرّر).

Word by Word

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine instrumental plural

• हेम: gold
• हेम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्/हेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Neuter nominative singular

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); ‘thus/also’

• कार्यः: should be made (prepared)
• कार्यः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-अर्थे क्तव्य/णीयत्-भाव (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be made/done’ (agreeing with हेम)

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Numeral instrumental plural (qualifying मन्त्रैः)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• विधानतः: according to procedure
• विधानतः: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ‘according to rule’

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Masculine accusative plural (qualifying विप्रान्)

• विप्रान्: brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• भोजयेथाः: you should feed
• भोजयेथाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ) / विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative (णिच्) ‘to cause to eat’

• तत्: with that
• तत्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Demonstrative adj. neut instr sg (agreeing with धनेन)

• रत्न-आप्त-धनेन: with the wealth obtained by the jewel
• रत्न-आप्त-धनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + आप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Neuter instrumental singular; तत्पुरुष (रत्नेन आप्तं धनम्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); ‘thus/in this way’

• कृते: when (it is) done
• कृते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative absolute sense ‘when done’

• महीपाल: O protector of the earth (king)
• महीपाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular; तत्पुरुष (महीम् पालयति)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine nominative singular

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Simple future 3rd person singular; परस्मैपद

Speaker

A suffering departed soul (preta) addressing a king (mahīpāla) within a Preta-kanda instructional narrative

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna and properly performed mantra-ritual can become a means for ‘mukti’ (release) for the afflicted/departed, mediated through dharmic action and merit transfer.

Vedantic Theme: Gradual purification (citta-śuddhi) through sattvic karma and dāna; liberation language used in a ritual-merit framework (relative mokṣa/uttama-gati).

Application: Combine procedural integrity (mantra/vidhi) with expansive generosity (feeding many) to transform wealth into spiritual welfare for self/others.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual ground (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna, anna-dāna, and śrāddha-related feeding as key aids to preta/ancestor welfare; ‘mukti’ promised through prescribed rites

Characters & Entities

• Vipras (Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the importance of mantra-guided charity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links properly prescribed mantra-ritual (six-mantra preparation of gold) with dana and Brahmin-feeding, presenting it as an effective means to generate merit that aids a suffering soul’s release.

How does this verse explain help for the soul after death?

It implies that the living can support a departed being through ritually correct acts—especially charity and feeding vipras—so that the preta’s bondage eases and liberation becomes possible.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charitable giving and food-offerings in a disciplined, dharmic way (ideally guided by competent priests), emphasizing sincere intent and feeding the needy/Brahmins as a shraddha-aligned act.